Game Homages

The following page charts the various references, homages and parallels to the games which inspired the film. Some of these are very explicit and obvious while many others aren't so clear. This list aims to help people understand that while the film is not an exact translation of the games it still heavily features characters, places and other elements iconic to the series.

Remember, the writers sought to craft a world that functioned as the "true events" that inspired the games in much the same way that the Land of Oz alluded to the people and issues that Dorothy was experiencing in her life. Approach it with that in mind and you should have no problem enjoying it for what it is.

One of the more direct translations, Mario eventually builds his reputation to that of the game character wearing a similar style of outfit. Dungarees were dropped but the co-ordination of colours matched his early game artwork.

LUIGI

LUIGI

Same style of outfit as Mario, except with a cap worn backwards. However in the games he started off with a green t-shirt and white/blue dungarees, which makes his movie outfit a little less accurate than Mario's. In the movie he is also missing his trademark moustache.

BOWSER

KOOPA

The blonde cornrows and spiked leathers were similar to his original Super Mario Bros artwork. He also introduced himself to the brothers as Larry Lazard, which is a reference to another Koopaling.

PRINCESS DAISY/TOADSTOOL

DAISY

A composite of Daisy and Princess Toadstool, taking elements from both. In the original game it was foretold that only the Toadstool would be able to undo Koopa's spell, just as Daisy is the only one able to merge the dimensions. Likewise, the parallel world being largely desert is a reference to Daisy's home of Sarasaland.

TOAD

TOAD

Toad is named after the game character, complete with sleeveless jacket. His name and involvement in the script changed constantly, which meant the number of references he incorporates is more than many other characters. His hairstyle appears to be based on Lakitu's shell.

PAULINE

DANIELLA

According to background materials, Daniella's full name is Daniella Pauline Verducci, which makes her a translation of Mario's in-game first girlfriend 'Pauline'. Indeed, the two share a similar fashion taste and facial structure. No doubt when Daniella was made up for the restaurant scene, the look was based on Pauline.

IGGY

IGGY

Aids his father's plot to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom. It's worth noting that in Super Mario Bros 3, Iggy turned the king of Giant Land into a dinosaur (Like Koopa), which remakes turned into a Donkey Kong Jr remake (Like Scapelli).

FOREMAN SPIKE

SCAPELLI

Anthony Scapelli is a composite of at least two characters. Foreman Spike in Wrecking Crew (1985) hindered the Mario Bros to rake in money for himself from their jobs, using unethical standards of business as Scapelli does. His devolution also resembled Donkey Kong (See Donkey Kong in this section).

DONKEY KONG

SCAPELLI (De-Evolved)

Anthony Scapelli's transformation to a monkey refers to Donkey Kong, especially in earlier scripts where he has a close connection to Daniella (The film's interpretation of (Pauline). Notice he's also at a construction site, where the Donkey Kong arcade game was set.

MUSHROOM KING

KING BOWSER

Despite the movie scripts calling him King Bowser, the Mushroom King is a real character from the Super Mario Bros instruction manual. Not seen until the comics, his return to human form is a reference to the World Kings returning to normal after saving them in Super Mario Bros 3.

SPIKE

SPIKE

Named after an enemy which debuted in Super Mario Bros 3, Spike's hairstyle in the film is close to the one worn by Spike in the game.

YOSHI

YOSHI

A miniature dinosaur with a prehensile tongue, just like his videogame counterpart. Yoshi is also held captive by Koopa, much like in his Super Mario World debut.

REFERENCES OF OTHER CHARACTERS

BIG BERTHA

BIG BERTHA

Named and modeled after the Big Bertha fish from Super Mario Bros 3. Both are "man-eaters"; one literally and the other metaphorically. Big Bertha also appeared in the Mario comics with a crush on Mario, just as she does in the movie.

BIRDO

MOTHER

There has been lots of speculation that the angry female Dinohattan resident ("Get away from my baby!") is a reference to Birdo due to the egg, and the fact her dinosaur-heritage markings match the position of Birdo's beauty spots.

BLOOBER

BLOOBER

Bloober, the squidlike enemy, was imagined in early scripts as a spiky-haired de-evolution technician. His lines were later given to Simon.

BANZAI BILL

BULLET BILL

Mentioned only in development artwork for the Thwomp Stompers, the Banzai Bills were renamed as Bullet Bills on the physical models, however they retained the Banzai Bill's open mouth. In the movie they acted as reload cartridges for the Thwomp Stomper boots.

BOB-OMB

BOB-OMB

With the exception of the "Reebok" logo on the Bob-Omb's shoes, the in-film Bob-Omb is pretty accurate despite it's tiny physical size. It also seems to have some control over it's fuse the same way they do in the game.

BOO DIDDLEY

BOO DIDLEY

Called Boo Diddley in their first appearance (Super Mario Bros 3) as a reference to the late rock star "Bo Diddley", their names appear in the background (Near Ostro) under "Now Playing", further expanding the reference..

BOOM BOOM

BOOM BOOM BAR

This Super Mario Bros 3 boss is referenced heavily in the movie, as the Boom Boom Bar where Mario dances with Big Bertha. The Boom Boom Bar itself also includes references to Wiggler Liquor, Fry Guy Flamethrowers and has one of the biggest cuts made to the movie - the Spike and Iggy rap.

BULLET BILL

BULLET BILL (Signage)

One of the most easily spotted of the large neon signs hanging around Dinohattan. Also the carts for the Thwomp Stompers were renamed Bullet Bills on the physical models.

COBRAT

GOOMBA

A rare third kind of Goomba (After Goombas and Koopa Troopas) was this snake enemy from Super Mario Bros 2. They usually appeared in sand levels, which mimics the sand world Dinohattan is surrounded by.

FIRE SNAKE

FIRE SNAKE

These bouncing fireballs from Super Mario Bros 3 appear as a small sign in the initial pan-up on Dinohattan after the Mario Bros arrive.

FISHBONE

FISHBONE

First seen in Super Mario World, Fishbone was a skeletal fish enemy. It appeared as a neon sign on the side of Koopa's tower just after Mario and Luigi jump in a dumptruck outside the Boom Boom Bar.

FRY GUY

FRY GUY FLAMETHROWERS

A living flame enemy in Super Mario Bros 2 created by Wart (Originally named in the movie). While these may not refer to the handheld guns used by Koopa and the Goombas, it is mentioned in the Boom Boom Bar that "These premises are protected by Fry Guy Flamethrowers".

GOOMBA

GOOMBA

The Goombas have changed from small mushroom enemies to tall lizard soldiers. Their initial size may be a reference to them matching Mario's size before obtaining a mushroom in the original game.

HAMMER BROS

HAMMER BROS TATTOOS

Shown only as a tattoo parlour, the Hammer Bros neon sign is one of the first iconic signs that fans notice amidst the neon streets of Dinohattan.

KOOPA TROOPA

GOOMBA

There are Koopa Troopa head-shaped Goombas throughout the movie, although they are collectively referred to as Goombas.

LAKITU

TOAD

Toad seems to have a bit of several characters. Originally called Lemmy, he also appears to sport the shell of Lakitu as a hairstyle in the movie, all before becoming Toad in the final film.

LARRY

KOOPA

On first meeting the Mario Bros, Koopa tells them his name is Larry Lazard - quite likely a reference to Larry, another one of the Koopalings.

LEMMY

TOAD

At one point, Toad was given the name of Lemmy - another one of the Koopalings from Super Mario Bros 3.

OSTRO

OSTRO

The name of an Ostrich-like enemy in Super Mario Bros 2. In the game, they are often ridden by Shy Guys. In the movie they appear behind Koopa near the end when he's holding a flamethrower and also during the police car chase.

REX

REXX

Rex is a purple dinosaur from Super Mario World, who appears several times in the film as bright green neon sign, most notably in the police car chase.

ROTODISC

ROTO DISC

According to production designer David L. Snyder, the Rotodisc Spheres in Super Mario Bros 3 were imagined as the energy-conversion engines used in the electric Dinohattan cars.

SHY GUY

FUNGUS SQUAD

Seen in the police station after the Bros are arrested, the Shy Guy lookalikes are referred to as the Fungus Squad, hosing down the Mario Bros to prevent fungus entering the station.

SNIFITS

SNIFITS

This likeness comes from Super Mario Bros 2. In the movie, the Snifits are the garbage workers who the Mario Bros assault to get back into the city. The masks are a surprisingly good likeness.

SPARKS

SPARKY

Initially in Donkey Kong Jr, this enemy made it's way into Super Mario Bros 2 and consequently wound up as a neon sign on the streets of Dinohattan (Just behind the Bullet Bill sign).

THWOMP

THWOMP STOMPER

Named as the Stomper shoes allowing the Bros to jump high. The lights on the boots also resemble the Run/Fly meter in Super Mario Bros 3, the same game in which Thwomps first appeared.

TWEETER

FRIED TWEETER

This Super Mario Bros 2 enemy was used in name only to reference the small lizard kebabs on sale when the Mario Bros first enter Dinohattan. They are called Fried Tweeter.

WART

WART

Wart, the main antagonist for Super Mario Bros 2, originally had a small cameo in a de-evolution technician. Jeffrey Pillars (the larger extra) was represented him in earlier cuts of the film.

WIGGLER

WIGGLER MALT LIQUOR

This Super Mario World enemy is in the movie as a form of liquor, as showcased by the signage in the Boom Boom Bar, however the name also appears on taxis as an advert, which has led to misconceptions of the taxis being the Wiggler reference.

REFERENCES OF ITEMS/GAMEPLAY ELEMENTS

BOWLING KOOPAS

GOOMBA PUNCH

Near the end of the movie, Toad makes the Goombas start dancing to stop them attacking Mario. Koopa turns around, punches one and they all fall over in a domino effect. This is something Mario can do in Super Mario World with a red Koopa shell.

BRIDGE BATTLE

BRIDGE STAND-OFF

Mario and Koopa's stand-off on the bridge is an homage to the original Super Mario Bros, where you face off Bowser on a bridge at the end of each level.

BRICK BLOCKS

"HIT THE BRICKS"

In the movie, when stealing the Police Car, Mario shouts "Let's hit the bricks!", which is a nod to his game-ability to punch through brick blocks.

CASTLE FINISH

KOOPA TOWER

The Mario Bros would always need to grab the Princess from the end of a castle in the video games, and likewise Mario has to save Daisy and the Brooklyn girls from Koopa's Tower near the end of the movie.

CLOWN CAR

KOOPA PLATFORM

The round 'pot' shaped metal platform Koopa falls into at the end of the movie resembles the shape and movement of Bowser's Clown Car in Super Mario World.

LIZARD BREATH

LIZARD BREATH

Mario calls Koopa "Lizard Breath" in an attempt to distract Koopa. This insult originated from the animated TV shows.

MARIO DUCKING

MARIO DUCKING

Mario replicates the ducking animation when he's sitting on the mattress just after the frozen pipe-chase.

MUSHROOM HOUSES

TOAD

Toad hands Luigi and Daisy two devo guns near the end of the movie, likely a nod to Super Mario Bros 3 where Toad hands out items in the Mushroom Houses throughout the game.

MUSHROOM POWER-UP

MERGING EFFECT

Mario can briefly be seen growing larger as the two worlds once again split following his use of a mushroom as a shield against Koopa's de-evolution ray.

MUSHROOM SOUND Effect

"GLUG GLUG GLUG"

The Mario Bros' movie quote when things are going well (Clasping hands and shouting "Glug Glug Glug!") is remarkably similar in sound to the Mushroom Power Up sound effects.

PEACE SIGN

PEACE SIGN

After Koopa is defeated, Luigi holds up the peace sign. This sign is used by the Mario Bros in many games, most notably in Super Mario World after completing a level.

QUESTION MARK BLOCK

? MESSAGE SCREEN

In the Police Car, as Luigi boots up the computer, the monitor flashes a small Question Mark square in the middle of the screen, a knowing reference to the Question Mark blocks in the games.

STARMAN

MARIO FALLING

As Mario falls into the other dimension, he is clearly cycling through colours, much like he does in the game when he recieves a Starman power up.

TITLE CARD

OUR MYSTERIOUS WORLD

The title of Our Miraculous World, the TV show Luigi watches at the start of the movie, resembles the title card for the original Super Mario Bros game, even down to the pan-off to the right like the game's demo sequence.

TRANSFORMED KING

KING "BOWSER"

King Bowser's transformation back into human form is a reference to Super Mario Bros 3, where defeating a Koopaling would return the land's King to their original form.

WARP PIPE

PIPE CHASE

The frozen pipe chase sequence, when Mario rescues the Brooklyn girls, seems like a reference to the Warp Pipes seen in almost every game of the Super Mario Bros series.

REFERENCES OF LOCATIONS

BOWSER CAVE

BOOM BOOM BAR

In the Boom Boom Bar, there is a wall which has projected animations going across it. One of the animations is of the growing/shrinking Bowser cave heads from Super Mario World.

DINOSAUR LAND

DINOHATTAN

According to director Rocky Morton, Dinohattan was directly inspired by Dinosaur Land.

KOOPA CASTLES

KOOPA TOWER

The spiked squares across the walls of Koopa Tower are a clear reference to the grey blocks that make up the Castles in Super Mario Bros 3.

KOOPAHARI DESERT

KOOPAHARI DESERT

Reference to Koopahari Desert from Super Mario Bros 3, also known as Desert Land.

MARIO'S CEMENT FACTORY

IDEAL CEMENT FACTORY

More a coincidence than knowing homage, but the Dinohattan set was constructed and filmed within the Ideal Cement Factory.

MARIO

MR. VIDEO III

During their drive around Brooklyn, the Mario Bros pass a store called Mr. Video III a total of three times. Mr Video was a name Shigeru Miyamoto considered calling Mario. Mr. Video III is a real store, but was likely chosen as a location based on the coincidental reference.

MUSHROOM KINGDOM

DINOHATTAN

At one point, Koopa refers to Dinohattan as a "'Mushroom Kingdom'" in reference to the omnipresent fungal king.

SARASALAND

SAURASALAND

According to companion materials, the name for the the nation in which Dinohattan resides is a dinosaur-themed pun on the setting of Super Mario Land.